The Lagos State Government under the leadership of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has called on corporate organizations, philanthropists and well meaning Nigerians not to hesitate in contributing their quota to curbing the menace of drug abuse in the state.
Speaking at the launch of Campaign Against Drug Abuse and Misuse held in Alimosho Local Government Secretariat on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Agboola Dabiri, said the issue of youth involvement in drugs and drug addiction is a global problem and deserves the attention of all stakeholders.
According to Agboola, the ugly situation has reached an extent no one can claim ignorance of what is happening, adding that the act has permeated into primary schools.
The Commissioner, who was represented by Director of Rehabilitation in the ministry, Ajao Olabode, however, decried that certain personalities from all spheres of life that are expected to be role models and mentors to the youths openly engage in indecent act, setting bad examples to the young adults who ignorantly look up to them for their social, educational, political and moral developments.
His words: “The impact of the increasing rate of drug and alcohol abuse among young people in the state is worrisome and its devastating effects on our moral and value system cannot be overemphasized.
“The abuse of common drugs such as codeine, tramadol just to mention but a few and the use of hard drugs like marijuana is now a common sight in the nooks and crannies of our cities; motor parks, street corners, recreation centers, schools, uncompleted building etc.
“Government at all levels have tried to curtail, eradicate or discourage the use , sale and trafficking of illegal drugs through the promulgation of decrees and enactment of laws.
“For instance, there are Anti-narcotic laws being enforced by the NDLEA, the dangerous Drug Act and ban on smoking in public places and the efforts of the National Agency for Food, Drugs, Administration and Control towards tackling importation and sales of expired and other illicit drugs; unfortunately the situation seems to be getting worse.”
Agboola, however, commended the campaign, describing it as a welcome development.
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He further stated that the development is in line with the Lagos State Government Policy Initiative on Private and Public Partnership in solving the economic and social challenges facing the society and mankind as a whole.
The immediate past National Chairman of the Association of Lady Pharmacists, Chief Yetunde Morohundiya, who was also a guest speaker at the occasion, charged parents on the need to live up to their responsibilities in taking good care of their children.
Morohundiya also urged pharmacists to desist from indulging the youths who patronise them demanding for common drugs they abuse.
She declared that the Association would do all within its capacity to stem the tide of Drug Abuse in the state and the country as a whole.
On his part, the initiator of the campaign, Dayo Oyewo, said the idea of CADAM was informed by the enormity of substance abuse among youths in the state.
Oyewo said the campaign seeks to address the root cause of the worrisome trend of drug abuse as it pertains to the adolescents who are the most vulnerable at such a time like this.
He said: “Beyond folding our arms and shaking our heads in pity of youths who are on treading the path of ruining their future as a result of substance abuse, we deemed it necessary and important to take a bold step of initiating a campaign that will address the social problem.
“As the theme of CADAM connotes (Preserving the Future) we have projected what is most likely to be the outcome of this menace in years to come hence the need to rise to the occasion by averting an avoidable disaster.
Speaking on the collaboration with Association of Lady Pharmacists in Lagos State, Oyewo stated that the need to initiate ties with other concerned bodies for such humongous task cannot be overemphasized.
He said Insight Initiatives, a platform on which the project is being executed, is saddled with the task of providing services that complement conventional efforts to solving the myriads of social problems that abound in the society.
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